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T O P I C R E V I E W

Tom

I believe all, if not, most astronaut classes selected during the shuttle era had nicknames associated with them.

One in fact (chosen during Apollo in 1967) were called the "Excess Eleven".

I know the Class of 1996 were called the "Sardines". Anyone know what the other groups were called?

micropooz

The class of 1978 called themselves the TFNG. The official translation of TFNG was "Thirty Five New Guys". The colloquial translation was much more colorful...

Robert Pearlman

Class 08: TFNG

Class 09: 19+80

Class 10: The Maggots

Class 11: ?

Class 12: The Gaffers

Class 13: The Hairballs

Class 14: The Hogs

Class 15: The Flying Escargot

Class 16: The Sardines

Class 17: The Penguins

Class 18: The Bugs

Class 19: The Peacocks

Hart Sastrowardoyo

Garrett Reisman of Group 17 said that Dodos was kicked around for a nickname because a dodo is a flightless bird and it would be a while before any of them flew. It was changed to Penguins, another flightless bird, the difference being that dodos are extinct...

KSCartist

As you may know the previous class bestows the nickname on the new class. Class of 1996 (the Sardines - because they were the largest class since TFNG's) named the class of 1998 "the Dodos". Well the class of 98 got some revenge by changing their nickname to the Penguins. The difference, both are flightless birds but penguins eat fish.

I checked my scrapbook and the 11th class, (1985) didn't have a nickname listed. That was the class who lost Stephen Thorne in a plane accident. Maybe that's why.

Go4Launch

Could someone please tell me what was the month in 1995 that Group 15 was named, and what the year and month were that Group 19 was named?

Has anyone a complete list with all astronaut groups? Number 1 till 19 and with the dates? And does anyone has a list of people that became a candidate and later on where not selected or backed off for some kind of reason?

Did the class of '85 have a nickname? It's the only one I'm not aware of if they did?

Editor's note: Threads merged.

astro-nut

The Astronaut Class of 1985 did not have a name. I have met some of the astronauts from that group/class and asked that question and none of them ever recall of a class name for their group/class.

brianjbradley

Dottie Metcalf Lindenburger's retirement got me thinking about her ASCAN Class Name - The Peacocks. Does anyone know the origin of the name?

I know it would have been chosen by someone from the Bugs 2000 class as per tradition to have the previous class give you your nickname. What is the significance of a peacock?

Robert Pearlman

Here's the way I've heard it...

When they were chosen, the 2004 astronaut candidates were told that they would not be flying on the space shuttle, but rather eventually preparing for whatever was to come next.

As such, they weren't expected to fly for some time to come, and so they were there (at least initially) more for show. Hence, they were nicknamed "The Peacocks," a bird known more for putting on a colorful show on the ground than for flying...